ReAwakening
by Xyverz
Summary: ON INDEFINITE HIATUS, INCOMPLETE. A night on the town ends fatally for Harry, or does it? When did his existence end and his new life begin? Maybe some prophecies were meant to be broken.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, that's JK Rowling's creation.

WARNING: This is a gay!Harry story and will likely progress into slash. If this is not your cuppa tea, I suggest reading one of my other stories. =)

**Re-Awakening - Chapter 1**

----

'Ugh, what a night,' thought Harry Potter as he woke up in the smallest bedroom of Number 4 Privet Drive. 'Did I get the number of the bus that ran me down?'

To say he was feeling hungover was an understatement. He had yet to open his eyes, but he knew where he was. He could tell by the feel and smell of the place that he was in his bedroom at the Dursley's place.

Oh how he hated having to spend the summers here. Fortunately, this was his last summer here. The Dursleys had since given up treating him like the "freak of nature" they thought he was. Last summer they pushed him too far and he lost control. It took all three aurors to pull him off of Dudley's unconscious form. Since then, they'd realized that it was safer _for them_ to just leave him alone. To be honest, he quite preferred it that way, too.

There was only one problem. Vernon was a man of morals. Regardless of how twisted those morals were, he had morals. Harry'd heard all about it. The only thing Vernon seemed to hate more that _his kind_ - meaning Wizards and Witches - were the sexual deviants that polluted the world. "Homosexuals are evil! They're the Spawn of The Devil!" It was all a load of shit really, and Harry never fell for it.

If Vernon ever found out where Harry was going when he went out after dark, no prodding from Albus Dumbledore or any Order members would change his mind - he would have no _queers_ living under his roof, goddammit.

So Harry kept his local visits to the nearest gay-friendly pub all hush-hush. Granted he had no apparent mode of transportation, so Vernon thought he was only taking late-night strolls to the park. When Harry really thought about it, he was fairly certain that Vernon hoped he'd get run over or kidnapped being out so late at night. It would only serve _the freak_ right. Yup. Vernon was a bigot.

Harry inhaled deeply, taking in the scents of the Dursley household. He could smell the flowers in the hall, the soap in the dish in the bathroom he and Dudley shared, the perfume Petunia wore to bed every night. He'd never been able to smell everything so clearly before, but thanks to the pounding in his temples, the why of it never crossed his mind.

What _did_ happen last night, anyway?

Harry ran through his thoughts. He could remember heading to the alley that connected to Wisteria Crescent, where he usually apparated from. He remembered coming out of the alley next to the pub and entering the bar. He _fondly_ remembered the ruggedly sexy bloke he'd been drinking with that evening.

What was his name? Oh yeah, Frank or something like that. With those beautiful pale blue eyes, that square jaw and his sinfully crooked smile. Sure, he was older than Harry by at least ten years, but they were both above the age of consent.

Well, Harry _looked_ to be above the age of consent. A little charm here or there and he looked of age. A slight transfiguration of one of Dudley's many "lost" ID cards during the previous school year and he had "proof" of age. He never bought liquor, but it got him in the door.

He remembered being offered a ride home with Frank for a nightcap.

...Something about a beautiful blue Porsche...

The flash of headlights...

Oh god! The memory made his blood run cold.

Four skinhead teens hopped out of the late-model sedan. They all wore the tell-tale green jackets, camo pants and army boots. One was brandishing a bat. Two had knives, and the other a pistol.

"We're gonna get us some poofs tonite mates," the one with the pistol shouted. His buddies nodded in agreement as they closed in.

Harry made to reach for his wand but his world went black as a cricket bat connected with his skull.

He woke up some time later to the feeling of warm water being poured on his face. Absently, he opened his mouth to take a drink only to spit it out again. His eyes snapped open to see another skinhead urinating on him.

"Seems your fairy mate buggered off and done run home faggot," the skinhead with the pistol sneered. "Shame, really. Nice Porsche gots bullet holes in it now. Hope he does too."

He paused a minute in thought, then continued, "Lessee... We clubbed ya upside the head, pissed on ya, and now got you tied up. How we gonna finish ya mate? You want stabbed or shot?"

His buddies laughed. The sound grated on Harry's nerves. His head was throbbing and every sound seemed to echo off the inside of his skull, getting louder. He closed his eyes and tried to think, but it was no use. All he wanted to do was go to sleep and never wake up. The pain was immense. The only pain worse than this that he'd ever felt was the Cruciatus.

Yes, at least it could be worse. A slight smile came to his lips as he realized that maybe some prophecies are meant to be broken. It looked like Voldemort would win without having to kill him. Oh the irony of it.

"Bugger off," he rasped.

The last thing he recalled before blacking out was losing count of how many times he'd been stabbed.

----


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, that's JK Rowling's creation.

Author's Note: Thanks to everybody who reviewed. My muse decided that last night at bedtime was a good time to write. Here's chapter 2. =D

**Re-Awakening - Chapter 2**

----

_The last thing he recalled before blacking out was losing count of how many times he'd been stabbed._

----

Harry frowned. How could he be dead? He certainly _felt_ alive. He could hear his heartbeat and the rest of the usual sounds from the Dursley household. And he certainly could _smell_ the usual smells. He could feel the air as it wafted through the crack in his window and across his skin. But there was something else. He couldn't put his finger on it.

'Maybe it's time I opened my eyes and sat up,' he thought. 'Well, at least I should sit up and put on my glasses, anyway.'

He slowly lifted the threadbare sheet off his body and swung his legs off the side of the bed. Oh how he hated waking up in the morning! He reached for his glasses from the nightstand but they weren't where he usually put them.

'Great! Now I'll have to hunt for them,' he sighed. He hated being without his glasses almost as much as he hated being without his wand. He felt vulnerable without them.

It took him a few moments after he opened his eyes to figure out what was wrong. He'd found his glasses, but the lenses were cracked in one eye and missing altogether from the other. There was a large crack in the left lens, with a few smaller cracks branching off. It reminded him of the old wicker grass rake Uncle Vernon made him use - it was a useless garden tool, really. But Vernon liked making Harry work harder than necessary.

'Wait a minute!'

Harry picked up the remains of his glasses. There were six cracks altogether in that lens.

Normally he wouldn't be able to tell unless he was wearing his glasses.

'I can see? What the blazes is going on?' he asked himself. Before he could answer, he heard a tapping on his window - probably Hedwig coming back from her hunt.

Harry yelped as he turned to the window to see a figure _floating_ outside his window. He reached for his wand but remembered his Uncle had locked it and his trunk in his old cupboard. He quickly backed away from the window, putting as much distance between the stranger and himself.

"I'm not here to hurt you, Mister Potter," the figure said. It was a man's voice. It was a familiar voice. A rich velvety baritone voice, with an edge of reassurance. It made him feel a little better.

He stopped backing up and stared at the figure outside the window. The man was silhouetted by the streetlight shining from behind, but appeared to be dressed in muggle clothing. He was wearing no cloak, no robes, no headwear of any kind. He seemed to be of average build, with shoulder-length hair.

"I simply wish to talk to you," the man continued. Harry had to admit the voice soothed him. He felt compelled to invite this stranger in.

Harry opened the window. "Please," he began, "do come in."

The man flew into the room and landed gracefully on his feet facing the wall. Harry could see that the man was finely dressed. His dark hair was silky, tinted slightly orange by the street lights. He was about six feet tall, and of average build. Harry couldn't tell for sure, but he was certain that this man was in _perfect_ shape under those nice clothes. Inwardly he wondered if he'd get to see the man naked, but quickly squashed that thought as the man started speaking.

"Did you know, Mister Potter," the man began, his silky voice washing over Harry, "that many dark creature wards are voided simply by inviting one into your home?"

Harry froze. His mind raced frantically to understand what had just occurred. 'Oh bugger it all! What have I done?'

As if to answer the question, the man turned around and fixed his gaze on Harry. His face was beautiful. He had piercing pale blue eyes, the square chin, and that crooked smile. It was Frank. Harry angered as he remembered what the skinhead had told him last night, _'Seems your fairy mate buggered off and done run home faggot.'_

"You've invited a vampire into your house, my dear boy."

Harry was shocked. But nothing could prepare him for what came next.

"Of course, the wards could have been set up to allow a vampire to enter at will anyway, _Mister Potter_."

It was apparent to Harry that Frank was talking about him. Harry felt his temper rising, this was no time for games. "What in Merlin's name are you talking about? And why did you leave me to be mugged last night?"

"You are entirely too trusting young one," the vampire began. "Do you always believe your assailants?"

Harry frowned as Frank continued, "I was attacked shortly after you were. I merely played dead so I could watch the proceedings. You certainly handled yourself very well. The looks on their faces when you got back up was _wonderful!_"

"I don't understand," Harry began, "You make it sound like I was a vampire to begin with? How could I be a vampire if you didn't turn me?"

The vampire continued, "I'll get to that. I will say before I continue that those four will never harm anyone ever again."

Harry paled at the thought - did he really kill somebody?

"No," Frank answered.

"Then wha--?" Harry stopped as he realized something. "Did you just read my mind?"

~No,~ the vampire answered him. ~I can hear your thoughts. I can also broadcast my own.~

Harry shook his head. "I should have known," he said, "I'm sure it's in one of our books somewhere. Hermione would know all about it."

Frank let his gaze wander around the room briefly before waving his hand slightly at the bedroom door. "Your relatives haven't been in bed for very long," he told Harry, as if to explain his actions. "We don't have much time before your re-awakening is complete, and I have much to explain to you. I've just cast a silencing charm and shielded the room to prevent your escape."

Harry began to object but the vampire put up his hand to interrupt.

"Most of what you've read about Vampires in your books is irrelevant, Harry. All those fancy ways to kill a vampire are fine and dandy for the _turned_, but will not work with a _born_ vampire. Born vampires, or _Regals_ as we call ourselves, are essentially human until our first transformation. Until that happens we do not need blood to survive. We can live and die as any mortal does, and are susceptible to many of a turned vampire's weaknesses, excluding Holy Water, Sunlight, and Silver. Most parents enable the awakening when the child is old enough to understand what they truly are. This usually happens sometime between their fifth and tenth birthday.

"To accomplish this, the child is drained of their blood. When their heart stops beating the transformation begins. The child awakens and the parents provide a source of fresh blood. Usually the child drinks from both the parents and a human caretaker. When the child has had his fill, he falls into slumber while the transformation from human to vampire continues. Within an hour of awakening, the youngling transforms into his natural state.

"This is the most dangerous part of the re-awakening. Any non-Regal is at risk, as the newborn Regal will be compelled by bloodlust for the first and only time of it's life. During this time they will drink between bursts of pain. Only a Regal stands any chance of survival; they can regenerate fast enough to satiate the newborn's thirst.

"The reason why we're sealed in this room is because the newborn must be allowed to finish the re-awakening in a familiar environment. If not, the confusion caused by the pain and fear will drive mad and he will die. When the transformation is complete the Regal's natural form is finalized, and he will never again succumb to bloodlust.

"Regals do not feed on blood alone, rather they live on the life force contained within. They do not even need to drink blood in order to absorb a human's life force. They can absorb it simply by being near one, or," Frank paused for a moment before continuing. "Well, there are other bodily substances that carry an extremely high concentration of the life energy a Regal needs to survive, if you catch my meaning."

At this Harry blushed. He still had what seemed to be a million questions running through his mind, but one came to the forefront.

"But my parents were human. I can't be a vampire!"

The elder vampire looked down on Harry with sad eyes. "No," he began, "they were Regals. gave up their powers so that you would live. They knew of the prophecy, that Voldemort wanted to kill you. You were vulnerable and they took on humanity so you could absorb their power and live through the night. They did everything they could to protect you and for that you lived."

Harry still didn't understand, but a sudden flash of intense pain made him feel like he was being ripped in two.

----


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, that's JK Rowling's creation.

Author's Note: Thanks to everybody who's reviewed so far. I'm sorry it's been so long, but my muse is picky. She only prods me when she's feeling... saucy. So without further ado:

**Re-Awakening - Chapter 3**

----

Twenty-three seconds. It had only been twenty-three seconds this time. Frank knew this because he was watching the clock. He doubted he would have been able to hold his wards much longer than that. In fact, he was certain that if Harry's initial transformation had lasted more than twenty-four seconds, he would have passed out and all his charms and wards on this room would have failed.

Usually, it was the parent or regular caretaker who handled a Regal's first transformation. In fact, it was preferred that a direct blood member of the family handle it. The familiarity to the newborn was invaluable when it came to containing the magical outbursts that came with the pain of transformation. Fortunately there weren't too many stages in the final transformation.

The first step is the cleansing. This is by far the most painful. It's very similar to a Phoenix's burning day; all impurities are burned out of the newborn Regal. Starting from the inside and working its' way out, the burning removes all impurities in the body, all the blood, any foreign matter including residual food, dirt on the skin, and finally hair and clothing. They say the cleansing even goes through to the soul, but that hasn't been proven.

Once the cleansing has finished and the newborn has fed, the physical transformation can begin. This usually happens in stages, depending on his final form. Some Regals change very little from their human form, but they are rare. Most have a form that resembles a demon of sorts; complete with a thick, leathery, colorful skin, enlarged cat-like eyes, pointed ears, horns, wings, claws, and a tail. Few have an animal form, be it magical or not.

Very rarely one will morph through more than one form. The last Grand Regal was recorded over 1500 years ago. He disappeared within a century of his Re-Awakening. No other Grand Regal has been seen since.

Until now.

It was just Frank's luck that he would get to oversee the final transformation of the most powerful Regal ever. It was all he could to to hold the charms and wards in place, while taking the brunt of the magic providing fresh blood for Harry. He just hoped that this would be the final form Harry would take. Having been fed from by a demon, an almost-human, an elf and another demon over the last _four_ hours had taken its toll on him. Harry had almost drained him dry twice during this last transformation. He wasn't sure how much more he could take.

He watched and braced himself as Harry's convulsions finally stopped. He hoped that Harry had his mind back and that this was the last time. He had so much to teach this youngling. If he died during the next feeding, Harry's mental state would certainly be damaged for good.

Suddenly, Harry's eyes flicked open. For the first time since the transformation began, he didn't leap from the bed immediately. Slowly, Harry looked around at his surroundings. His breathing relaxed further with every breath. Frank saw the recognition in Harry's eyes as they finished the scan of the room. Slowly, Harry closed his eyes again before drawing a beep breath.

"Is it finished?" he asked.

Before Frank could respond Harry shuddered and convulsed one more time. He watched as Harry let forth an ear-splitting that caused him to almost lose his hold on the wards. His hold was weakening. He knew that if continued for much longer, his charms and protections on this room would fail. He was already weak enough that if Harry changed again, he would not survive another feeding.

Harry's screams gradually increased until the house started to shake. The windows and doors rattled, pictures fell off the mantle in the living room, and one of the three other occupants of the house was jolted from his rather satisfying dream of sandy white beaches, scantily clad young women and a bonus from his most recent sale of drills.

----

Vernon Dursley wasn't sure what had awakened him. something was wrong, he could just _feel_ it. It had to be something to do with that freak nephew that lived under their roof. He just knew the no-good runt of a boy was purverting his house in some way or another. He always found a way to make trouble. Why else would he have trouble sleeping?

It was with no small effort that Vernon heaved his great bulk out of bed, being very careful not to wake his lovely wife, Petunia. He spared a glance at her as he pulled on his slippers and robe. His beautiful angel - a horse-faced woman with an exceedingly long neck that was just perfect for craning over fences to snoop on the neighbors - was still sleeping soundly. He could easily tell because her nose only made that melodic whistle when she was truly asleep.

Quietly, he made his way out of their bedroom and down the hall to the room where that ungrateful brat spent most of his time lazing around this summer. Like last year, his freak friends had threatened him and his family with unnecessary harm if the boy should be made to pull his weight around the house.

__

"I'm warning you now, Dursley, " the one with the weird blue eye told him gruffly. "If you work that boy like a slave this year, you'll have to answer to us all."

He pointed to the other three freaks before continuing, "...Individually."

Vernon had taken that threat seriously. Last year he'd lightened up on the boy - only making him do the laundry and gardening once a week and having Petunia cook lunch. Apparently, it wasn't enough and he'd had SEVERAL visits from the boy's Abominable Bodyguards. It was extremely embarassing and the fear that the neighbors would find out about the boy's abnormality grew even stronger.

This year, all he asked of the uncivilized miscreant was that he leave him and his family to be, and somehow find a way to pay room and board of fifty quid a week. And for some reason, he'd been very good about not bothering anyone _and_ paying his share. So far this summer they'd had no visits.

At least the neighbors weren't talking anymore.

As Vernon approached the door he noted that it was closed and there was no sound coming from the room at all. When he checked the doorknob, he found it locked, as usual. Thinking that his gut feelings must be wrong tonight, he decided to head back to bed. Just before he turned, he heard a muffled cry, followed by a stranger's muffled voice.

What the hell was that boy up to at two in the morning?

The large man tried the handle again. This time it turned. His conscience was screaming at him to go back to bed, but his curiosity won out.

In an attempt to be intimidating, Vernon stormed into the room. As soon as he got four steps into the room, his fear gave way to anger. That bloody runt had brought somebody home with him. Not only that, but the window was standing wide open and the curtains were flapping loosely an the ends.The whole boody neighborhood could see in!

"You little shit!" Vernon roared. How DARE you bring MORE of this PERVERSION into my home!"

----

Harry smirked. Whatever his uncle was going to say after that rather _humorous_ outburst was silenced. With a wave of his hand, Harry had frozen his uncle in place. It was safer for all of them that way. Vernon's timing couldn't have been better. Frank needed fresh blood to restore his lost energy, he could tell by the way the man was gasping for breath. The fact that Frank's charms and wards had failed only amplified the need.

He knew that there was one more phase of the awakening, and Frank needed to be at full strength. Otherwise, it would kill him.

----

Vernon's heart raged with fury. The little runt had used his freakishness against him. He was certain he was going to die now that there were two of them. He'd never felt so vulnerable in his life, and it infuriated him. He almost missed what Harry said next, but after heard it, he wished he hadn't. His anger started to give way to its base emotion - fear. He began to think that it may have been better if he had just gone back to bed while he still had the chance.

"Frank," Harry began. "It seems your problem has been solved. My uncle's timing couldn't have been better!"

There was an ominous gleam in his eyes.

"Are you sure, Harry?" the other man questioned.

"Yes," he responded. "You need to feed. Just be sure not to kill him."

Vernon whimpered. What the hell was going on here? Feed? A light came on in his mind; vampires. Vampires feed on human blood. But vampires were a myth, weren't they?

"He may be a rotten piece of filth, but he was kinder to me this summer than he's ever been the rest of my life," continued the young wizard. "Besides... He's family."

The other man rose to his feet. As he turned around, Vernon saw an intense look of hunger in his eyes. When the man flashed a fanged smile, he lost all control. If not for the freezing spell his nephew had cast on his, Vernon surely would have soiled himself.

----

Harry watched as Frank swept down upon his uncle, cancelling his freezing charm and casting a silencing charm at the same time. Frank grasped Vernon with his left hand and used his right to turn the man's head to the side. In the same swift motion, Frank lowered his head and bit into the man's carotid, drinking the life-giving blood.

Being a Regal, the elder vampire did not need much. Several long, deep pulls was more than enough to restore him to full strength. A quick lick over the wound and the blood stopped flowing. Within moments, there was no physical trace of feeding at all.

Frank released the fat man and waved a hand across his eyes.

"You will remember none of this," he said. "Go back to bed."

The only thing Vernon would remember when he woke up in the morning was how well he'd slept through the night, but he'd have one hell of a headache.

Frank smiled as he locked the bedroom door and put up fresh silencing charms and locking wards.

"Thank you, Harry," he said as he sat into a kneeling position in the middle of the room. He gestured for Harry to join him.

"By now, I'm sure you understand a bit more of what's happening to you. We have just one more task to finish and you're re-awakening will be complete. It is nowhere near as painful as your transformations were, but it will be twice as exhausting."

"I understand," replied Harry as he sat. "I'm ready."

With that, the two made eye contact. Harry found himself locked into Frank's eyes. Without warning, a constant stream of images, thoughts, words, actions, experiences, memories, and emotions flooded his consciousness. They rushed into him almost too fast for him to comprehend. He knew that when this was over, he'd have the knowledge and memories of a fully-grown Regal in his head for his perusal.

As his knowledge and the foreign memories increased, he found his sense of self grow stronger. Instead of being lost to another's personality, he learned more and more about himself. For now it seemed, the memories were to be stored in another part of his mind, but readily accessible should he need the knowledge. The thing that amazed him the most was Frank's true identity.

----

Francois Lucien Sebastien Jacque was born into a common French family in the thirteenth century. He was orphaned at an early age and went through his re-awakening in his late teens. He was killed on the streets of Paris and had his body dragged behind a horse from the outskirts of town. A farmer happened by him and took the barely breathing young man in.

Unfortunately for the farmer, Frank's first transformation happened as soon as he brought the boy into his home.

He did not drink the old man dry after his transformation. the farmer knew what Frank was - he'd heard of the Regal Vampires. It was lucky for Frank that he had. It was with great surprise to the farmer that the boy had a second transformation.

The second time, the farmer gave himself willingly to Frank, but lacked the strength or the blood to survive another feeding. As Frank drained the lifeblood out of the farmer, the man's wife and grown son entered the home and saw what the last traces of life leave him.

Frank fled, but it was too late - the farmer's son was an artist and was able to paint his likeness. Within days, Frank was forced to flee to England where he assumed his mother's surname. He made his livelihood making pottery and became known as Sebastian the Potter. He was the first of the Potter line.

As Harry became more and more exhausted, the memories slowed.

He watched the memories with great clarity as Frank observed the lives of the last two generations of the Potter family. He saw his father grow up, go to school, and start a family of his own. For the first time in his life, he saw the sacrifice his parents made to save him, from an outsider's perspective. He was saddened, yet he understood why Frank had not interfered. It was James' and Lily's choice. By embracing humanity again, they gave him the gift of life and ensured that he would not only survive, but that he would become the strongest Regal who ever lived. Harry lost consciousness as eh watched the final scenes of his life up to this point play through his mind.

Frank looked down at the boy in front of him. Gently, he lifted the boy up and placed him in his bed. His job here was done. He quickly composed a note to Harry explaining his departure.

He would not return. Harry had no further need of him, whether he realized it or not.

"Farewell, my child," he said as he cancelled his wards, slipped out the window, and disappeared into the night.

----

Author's Follow-up Note: I know diddly of French culture or history. I had help via IRC for getting a nice sounding French name. Hopefully I was generic enough that my portrayal of Frank fits in with the history...


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, that's JK Rowling's creation.

Author's Note: Thanks to everybody who's reviewed so far. I must say that my muse has been REALLY active these last two weeks. Here's chapter 4! Chapter 5 is being beta'ed and chapter six is being written as you read this. :)

**Re-Awakening - Chapter 4**

----

Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry woke up bright and early the next morning. He'd had a wonderful dream of socks and phoenixes. He couldn't remember too much, but it was delightfully silly - just the way his summertime dreams _should_ be. As he took in the sight of the sunlight playing across his duvet, the last hazy fragments of the dream disappeared and gave way to the reality of the day. He admirede the view of the grounds as he dressed in one of his more colorful robes and made his way into his office.

Everything seemed to be in order. Fawkes trilled a warm greeting as he entered. The unfinished paperwork beamed at him in the way only unfinished paperwork could, the fireplace crackled with life, and Harry Potter grumbled a not-entirely-friendly greeting as he crossed the threshhold.

'Harry?' the headmaster started. This was unusual.

"Good morning, Harry," the old wizard greeted as he sat. "I was unaware you'd left Little Winging."

He'd tried to smile, but could not help the slight frown that creased his forehead. The boy should be at home, where it was safe and he had somebody keeping an eye on him!

The young wizard before him did not smile in return. In fact, he seemed to become more angry as the moments ticked by.

"Professor Dumbledore," he began curtly, "a very interesting thing happened to me last night. I want an explanation."

The tone of the boy's voice grated on the old man's nerves, agitating him. It was an uncomfortable feeling, and it screamed of mistrust and disrespect. If he wasn't careful, he would lose the boy to his emotions again.

"I'm sorry, Harry. It had to be done," the headmaster started. He wasn't sure what the boy was talking about, but it may have had something to do with the false ID he'd procured. It was brought to his attention by an order member. He'd meant to visit the boy himself about this, but hadn't been bothered yet. So he'd arranged for one of the relatives to fetch it.

"If I were to allow you to continue going to those nightclubs," he continued, "your chances of harm would have been greatly increased."

He studied the boy's reaction in hopes this explanation would placate him. There was a very brief flash of confusion followed by a bark of laughter. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small card.

"You think I was talking about **this** sir?" he asked. "No, I have no need for this anymore."

Albus watched the boy toss the card in his direction, only to see it burst into flames in mid air. A fine dusting of ashes was all that made it to his desk. A gasp escaped him as he realized the boy had used _incendio_ both wandlessly and wordlessly. The boy stood up quickly, his smile fading to a scowl as he crossed to lean on the desk.

"You've been keeping things from me, Professor."

Albus began to worry. The younger wizard looked like a Filibuster Firework ready to go off.

"Harry, I'm only trying to help you, to keep you safe."

"Oh, CERTAINLY!" Came the sacrastic reply. "Keep me safe from WHAT? The Dark Lord or the muggles that killed me last night?"

The old headmaster felt the blood run from his face. So it had already happened, had it? The boy had gone through his re-awakening. The thought horrified him. What of the Dursleys? Were they innocent victims to this boy? Would he be too powerful for him to control?

No, he was a boy no longer. Now he was a monster. He was a monster ready to escape. From the very core of his being, Albus feared he would lose control of the person in front of him, his greatest weapon in his fight.

"Tell me, Harry," he replied, schooling his features into an impassive mask. "Tell me what happened."

He looked at the boy in front of him who was staring at the top of the desk. He seemed to be formulating his answer.

Albus found himself unable to break eye contact once Harry looked at him. His mind was filled with images of the night before; the man from the club, the skinheads, and finally Harry's death. When the boy broke contact, Albus slumped back into his seat, gasping. It looked like a very painful death, but it still didn't explain why Harry was standing before him now.

Albus let out a long sigh.

"Harry," he started, "I need to know what happened after that."

Albus became more tired as his energy was drawn from his body into the boy across from him, the angrier he became the quicker it was taken. His eyes glowed _Avada Kedavara_ green and the charged air crackled around him.

The boy roared, "DON'T PLAY STUPID WITH ME, ALBUS! You know BLOODY WELL what happens to a Regal when their blood has been drained."

Harry was breathing heavily after that outburst. As Harry relaxed, so did the drain on Albus' energy.

"I'm sorry, Harry," he began, "but first I need to know --"

"NO!" shouted the young wizard. "I asked you first, and this time you WILL tell me!"

Albus felt himself shrinking away from the young vampire before him. He was truly at a loss for words. How the boy found out he knew was a mystery to him.

"How long have you know I was a Regal, Albus?" the boy queried.

He strangely felt compelled to tell the boy what he knew.

"Since your birth," replied the headmaster.

"And you were going to tell me this when?"

"After you had defeated Voldemort."

The old man shook his head. He realized what the boy was doing to him. Regals had natural powers of Legilimency, Occlumency, and were experts at mental manipulation.

"Stop, Harry," Albus said softly. "Please. Don't make me go through this. I have a reason for my secrets. Please let me keep them."

It sickened the aged wizard that he had to plead his case to this mere boy, this _monster_ he couldn't control. He looked up from his desk at the vampire.

"Please."

----

Harry knew this was a last ditch effort by the old man to save his dignity. As far as he was concerned, the man had none left. The manipulative old bastard had been using him his entire life.

"I will no longer be your toy, Albus," he said calmly. "I will not tell you of my re-awakening, it is a very personal matter, one that I will only tell my family of. You know full well how much family I have left, I used to include you in that list. I do not trust you any longer. I find it difficult to respect you even. Nobody needs to be put through the hell I've lived in before they reach their teens. You now believe that I am a monster, a weapon you can no longer control. I am not a monster, Albus Dumbledore. You have nothing to fear from me unless you treat me as such. I _was_ a child, but you took that away from me when you named me the savior of the Wizarding World after Voldemort's _first_ defeat."

Harry paused a minute to gauge the headmaster's reaction. The man was seething in anger. It served him right, really. After all, he _had_ been betrayed by the old coot. Turnabout was fair play.

"One more thing before I leave, headmaster. You are a very crafty, manipulative old bastard. For this I commend you, as one Slytherin to another. But I warn you now, do not give me a reason to fight you as well as Voldemort. I do not want you to meet the fate that will become him.

----

Albus watched in shock as Harry _faded_ out of the room. He was truly seething with anger as he realized histool would no longer obey him.

_"Remember, Dumbledore,"_ came the little monster's voice in his head, _"I am no longer your tool. You would do well not to make an enemy of me."_

Why did the boy find it necessary to be so bloody difficult? Albus had given him plenty of leeway and and allowances. He'd let the boy know the taste of freedom. He even showed promise during his sixth year, recovering quite nicely from the death of his Godfather.

'Maybe I've given him _too much_ freedom,' he thought.

The old wizard pondered the thought for a moment as he went over to the fireplace to make a firecall. He tossed in the blue powder and called into the flames.

"Remus Lupin!"

Within moments, the werewolf's head appeared with a soft pop.

"Good morning Albus. What can I do for you today?" came the cheerful greeting.

"Remus, I need you to visit Arabella and check on Harry's whereabouts. I have reason to believe he may be dealing in dangerous affairs."

The werewolf was shocked.

"Are you certain, Albus?" he asked, his concern showing through.

The headmaster smiled sadly. "Yes, unfortunately. please pay him a visit as well, if you can. Keep your senses open for anything out of the ordinary. I may also need you to shadow him for a few days."

The werewolf nodded in agreement. "I will do it immediately, headmaster."

"Thank you Remus," he responded.

With another soft pop, the wolf was gone. The wisened wizard sighed and sat back down behind his desk. He shot an accusatory glance at his phoenix for not helping. Fawkes blinked apathetically before promptly bursting into flames.

----

Author's Follow-up Note: Thanks again to everybody who reviewed. You make me happy! :) If you haven't done so for this chapter, please hit the Go button and let me know what you thought!


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, that's JK Rowling's creation.

Author's Note: Thanks to everybody who's reviewed so far. I'm sorry it took me so long to post this - my muse had me writing chapters six and seven at the time I'd typed this up, but something happened and I ended up going back on a reading stint. sigh Chapter six IS written and I hope to have it typed up and posted within the next several weeks.

**Re-Awakening - Chapter 5**

----

Remus Lupin frowned. He knew Harry had been sneaking down to the nightclubs. The whole order knew. As soon as Albus had discovered this, he announced it an the next meeting. It had taken them a while to figure out how he was getting there, but several weeks worth of observation revealed that the boy knew how to apparate already. He didn't have his license yet, but that didn't seem to stop him. He _had_ been acting without care of consequences lately. Last night, however, the boy had managed to elude his observers and disappeared until they'd discovered him at home this morning. Other than his recent apathy, nothing was reported being out of the ordinary these last few days.

The biggest concern the werewolf had at the moment was not visiting the boy -- he knew Harry would be very happy to see him. The two had become close since Sirius' death. No, Remus' main worry was that the full moon was in two nights. How was he supposed to tail the boy when he needed to be locked up for a night? If he were able to procure some wolfsbane, he might be able to do it in his wolf form, but even then there was a great risk. The potion would only just keep the wolf in him in check. Any excitement at all and the would could still emerge.

Remus would not be able to live with himself if he passed this curse on to Harry. He sighed as he pulled on his overcoat and apparated to Arabella Fig's house.

The second bedroom in Arabella's house was done up quite nicely. There were portraits of past family members on the bureau and even larger photos of her cats on the walls. She had a pull-out day bed against one wall and a wooden chair opposite. The curtains were done up with frills and a lace valance framed the top. Of course, the blinds in the window kept anyone from seeing whoever happened to be coming or going, and a final touch consisting of a silencing charm made this room the perfect place to apparate.

'Now if only she wouldn't keep rearranging the furniture,' Remus thought as he stepped down off the day bed.

"Good morning, 'Bella!" Remus called as he made his way to the living room. The sound of a full cat dish shattering as it hit the floor was followed by an undignified shriek.

"Oh Remus!" She gasped. "You startled me! Now be a good lad and repair my broken dish." She added the latter with a mock glare, feigning irritation. She was always happy to see Remus. Over the last two years, they too had developed quite a friendship, what with he and the other order members over to help watch Harry.

"How are you this morning? Is everything all right?" She asked.

Remus sighed before answering. "Well, it was untill albus mentioned that Harry had gotten himself into more trouble than usual."

"Is he okay?"

"I'm not sure," he answered. "That's what I'm here to find out. Albus wants me to pay him a visit and perhaps follow him for a few days."

The old squib was very definitely shocked. She asked, "So close to the full moon?"

Remus shrugged. "We shall see what happens," he said as he walked out the front door.

It was a short walk down the street and around the corner to number 4 Privet Drive. The neighboorhood was nice and tidy, the lawns green and well-manicured, and the flowerbeds weeded and in full bloom. The tidiness of the houses made everthing seem so... plastic, so unreal. It was almost as if he were in one giant model. The only difference here was that instead of plastic toys and dolls, the town was populated with cars and people.

The front walk to number 4 Privet Drive was, at first appearances, just as neat and tidy as the rest of the houses on the block. However, Remus' keen gaze showed that the yard and the flowerbeds weren't getting the kind of attention they were long accustomed to. This was one of the effects of Harry's freedom from being the Dursley's "human house elf." It was amazing that Petunia had even spent _that_ much time working on it. Remus knew for certain that she'd never order her precious _Dudders_ to help out in the yard. The fat whale of a boy was far too spoiled to attempt any yard work anymore. Maybe if he were still eight years old and not so badly spoiled...

Remus knocked firmly on the door and prepared for a bit of a wait and a _lot_ of yelling.

He was rather surprised when Vernon himself answered the door.

"He's in his room," said the wide man. "He hasn't left all morning." 

Remus marveled as Vernon stepped aside and invited him in. He sniffed the air around him. There was a faint trace of someone familiar about the man, but he couldn't remember who. It had been a LONG time since he'd last smelled that scent and he was unable to place when or where. He nodded his thanks to the man and made his way upstairs.

He was just about to knock on Harry's door when the boy invited him in.

"Come on in, Remus," Harry invited. "Please close the door behind you."

The older wizard took another sniff as he closed the door behind him. He noticed that strangely familiar scent again and he could smell that the boy's uncle had been in here. The boy's scent was there, but it was _different_, it had changed since he last saw him. It was as if he wasn't entirely _human_ anymore. Remus stole a glance at the boy and he saw that he wasn't wearing his glasses either. Harry was sitting on his bed, a potions text was closed in his hands, a finger between the pages to hold his place. He motioned for Remus to take a chair by the desk.

"How are you today, Remus?" the boy asked. He did not seem surprised to see him.

"I'm fine, Harry." he answered. Deciding not to dance around the subject, he asked, "Is everything all right with you? I hear you're in some sort of trouble."

"Albus sent you," said Harry. It was not a question. Remus nodded and Harry laughed. Remus noted there was no joy in that laugh.

The boy turned serious before continuing, "And I supposed he's asked you to follow me around for several days, regardless of the fact that the full moon is only two nights away?"

Again the werewolf nodded.

"The headmaster is using you Remus. He wants you to use ALL of your senses and tell him who you've sniffed around me."

Remus was shocked. Was the boy listening in on the firecall?

"What makes you think that, Harry? The headmaster has his reasons, I'm sure." Remus countered.

"First of all, he's asked the lone adult I trust to get information out of me without telling you the truth. I haven't gotten into any trouble, Remus," said Harry, "I've simply learned the truth."

Remus frowned. "What truth is that, Harry?"

A cruel smile worked its way across the boy's lips.

"I told you that already, Remus." He answered. "Albus is using you, just as he's been using me since he had my parents killed."

----

"HARRY!" The werewolf was livid. Harry could see the denial that suddenly flashed across his face, he could _smell_ the anger radiating from him, and he could feel the hope that he'd been lied to. "How DARE you say such a thing! Your parents died at the hands of VOLDEMORT. They were betrayed by PETER! Albus has only been working to protect you, to make sure you survive. I guarantee he hasn't been using you at all."

The wolf in Remus was trying his hardest to escape. Harry watched his amber eyes grow brighter, more yellow. If he couldn't verbally convince him the truth, he would have to show him. Unfortunately, werewolves had better mental shields than humans. He would have to transform, but only as a last resort. Werewolves did not react well to vampires, but they were enthralled by Regals. Regals could control them easily, but Harry didn't want Remus as a subject. He wanted him as a friend, advisor, and loyal ally.

He knew the real reason Remus was loyal to his father. Sure, they had been friends, but shortly before the other two Marauders found out, James had cornered Remus in an abandoned part of the castle and revealed his true form. The reason he never interfered with James' and Sirius' mental torture of Snape was because he was _forbidden_ to. After the night in that corridor, Remus was not only James' friend, but his _subject_. Harry did not want that. He gazed on the elder wizard with sad eyes.

"Remus," he began, "last night, I learned my true heritage."

----

Remus felt his blood run cold. 'No! It CAN'T be true!' It explained the change in Harry's scent though. He would not be drawn into the servitude of another Regal. He realized he'd been staring at Harry with his mouth open and shut it before schooling his features into an expressionless mask.

"I'm truly sorry, Harry, but I'll quite frank with you. Your father --"

"Don't say it, Remus." The boy interrupted. "I know all about it."

Remus stood up before replying, "Then you know why I must leave now." He turned and walked to the door. It was locked. _"Alohamora!"_

The door would not open.

"Open the door, Harry," he said without turning around.

"No."

"Dammit, Harry! OPEN THE DOOR!" He was getting worried now. He closed his eyes and kept his hand on the handle.

"Harry, please," he pleaded.

"No, Remus." The boy responded. "Look at me."

Tears began to fall as Remus spoke, "I can't do that, Harry. I will not be drawn into a life of slavery for the entire potter live. I loved your father dearly. He was my best friend, but I hated being his servant. I do not want that to happen with you."

Remus sniffed, wiping the hears away with his free hand. The scent that assaulted him now was definitely that of a transformed Regal Vampire. He felt a clawed hand come to rest on his shoulder and flinched, squeezing his eyes shut harder.

"Neither do I," came the rich, gruff, and slightly raspy voice on the vampire behind him. The true voice of a Regal was like heaven to his ears. It never failed to arouse him whenever James had used it on him, and it was having the same effect on him now.

"Remus, please turn around and look at me."

That voice was so compelling. He could feel the truth in Harry's words, but he was still afraid. He made a silent prayer as he turned around and opened his eyes. If the sound of a Regal's voice was like heaven to a werewolf, it was nothing compared to the sight of one. Harry was even more beautiful to Remus than James was. He had a gray leathery skin, strong muscles, and an air of confidence to him. His eyes were the brightest and most vivid he had ever seen them. His ears came to a sharp point an inch or so above where they normaly would have. He had no hair, his teeth were sharp and straight, emphasized by the strong fangs he had. Protruding from his back were a pair of strong-looking wings that were similar to those or a Norwegian Ridgeback. Broad, strong, and powerful. Both his hands and his feet were clawed with sharp talons that could grip any surface, or tear a man easily limb from limb. To a human, the whole look would frighten even the strongest of men, but Remus could feel the peace, love, and calm that radiated from the majestic creature.

"My lord," he said as he bowed down and knelt in front of Harry. He looked into his eyes and saw happiness and joy.

"Remus J. Lupin," the Regal began, "you are as of this moment my servant. Let it be known to you than on the next full moon, I will release you from your bonds of servitude. You have my word on this, as my magic is my witness, let this promise be made."

Remus smiled as Harry leaned over and kissed his forehead. He felt a shock run through his and knew Harry would fulfill his promise. He watched as Harry transformed back to his human form, a smile showing on his face.

"Thank you, Remus." He said. "I was horrified when I learned the truth about your relationship with my father. You've served your time and I will not have you as my slave for the rest of your life. I have only one task for you before the full moon. I want you to report back to Albus and tell him that you've found nothing out of the ordinary with me. Do not tell him of the situation between us. Let him know that you have procured some wolfsbane and will have no problem following me on the full moon. Meet me back here that afternoon."

Remus nodded as he stood up.

"It will be done, Harry," he said as he left.

----

Harry watched his friend wave to him as he walked away from the house. Remus was in for more freedom than he bargained for.

----

Author's Follow-up Note: Thanks again to everybody who reviewed. You make me happy! :) If you haven't done so for this chapter, please hit the Go button and let me know what you thought!


	6. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, that's JK Rowling's creation.

Author's Note: I'm not even going to apologize for the 4 year delay between chapters. Like all good things, they get done when they get done. ;-) Thanks for sticking with me this far. No idea how soon chapter 7 will be finished or published.

**Re-Awakening - Chapter 6**

----

The next two days passed quite quickly - Harry went about his day-to-day life and Remus dutifully reported back to Headmaster Dumbledore. The old coot wasn't very happy that Remus had procured the wolfsbane potion from another source, but Remus insisted that he trusted it completely. Albus had tried to draw the memories of the wolf's visit with Harry, but could not get past his natural shields. In the end he relented, but promised Remus that he would not be alone on the full moon.

"I'm going to check on Harry," Remus announced as he walked out the door of Arabella's house. The unnamed order member who was recently stationed there for security only grunted in reply. It was obvious to Remus that he was neither trusted or liked, and the further away he was, the better. He didn't know the man, just that he was in Albus' good standings. Remus chuckled to himself, he could still smell the man's fear from two blocks away. If it came down to it, Remus doubted the man could protect himself from the wolf. His fear would paralyze him.

He didn't bother to knock on the door when he got to Harry's house. He knew that the Dursleys would not be home. Vernon had booked an immediate vacation out of the country when Harry had told him that the werewolf -- oops! -- wizard friend would be here during the next full moon. According to Harry, they had packed their things and been gone within half an hour. It was even funnier when you took into account that he'd only told them this at lunch earlier that very day.

"Hello, Harry!" the older wizard greeted as he opened the bedroom door. Harry's face lit up in a smile and Remus found himself engulfed in the boy's arms. He enjoyed the feelings the boy radiated briefly before wondering what was going on.

"Harry," he asked, "what's all the excitement for?"

The boy looked into his eyes, smiling.

"Tonight I get to set you free!" he responded. "It's the greatest gift I can give you, and I'm looking forward to it!"

Remus smiled. "You're making it sound like you can lift my curse!" he joked.

Harry only smiled again. "Let's go!" he whispered, and before Remus had a chance to react, they were gone.

It was a weird sensation, so unlike apparating and nowhere near as nasty as portkey or floo travel. The room around them _faded_ into a forest clearing. It was much darker in the forest than it had been in Little Winging. A quick sniff of the air had told him why: they were in the Dark Forest, next to Hogwarts.

"The Dark Forest, Harry?" Remus started. "Are you _insane_? Dumbledore will sure know you're here. He'll find us immediately!" He was worried, he couldn't believe the boy would be this brazen or foolish.

While looking around the clearing he spared a glance to Harry and saw him smiling.

"We have nothing to fear here, Remus. No human is allowed here. Besides, this location is deeper than even Dumbledore dares to venture into the forest. James, Peter, and Sirius never found it because even in theiranimagus forms, they were still _human_. Had you ever run this far in, you would have found a sanctuary from humans as a wolf. You and I are here tonight because we need a witness, one with some magical powers.

Remus was dumbfounded. In all his wanderings, he'd heard of a hidden glen, The Sanctuary Clearing, the refuge to all non-humans. He'd honestly thought it a myth that the hopeless spread to give them strength to make it through the curse of the full moon. He never imagined, not even in his wildest dreams, that he'd find any place like it in his entire life. He'd always dismissed it, just accepting that he'd have to live in fear when the moon came around to taunt him.

He was rouse from his musings by the sound of hoof beats. He turned to Harry first and saw the boy nod back at him, then toward the source of the sound. He saw a familiar centaur emerge from the trees on the far side of the clearing. The male centaur did _not_ look happy.

The centaur drew his crossbow and notched an arrow before speaking.

"Why have you called me here, Harry Potter? I have to time for jokes. You were warned that any humans caught inside this forest will be dealt with however we see fit." The centaur took and and fired at the young vampire.

Before Remus could react, Harry had transformed and snatched the arrow out of the air. In the blink of an eye, he was standing before the four-legged beast, his eyes burning with rage and the air around him charged with electricity.

"I came in peace, Bane," he roared. "I told you **exactly** why I would come and you agreed. Are you going back on your word?"

Remus flinched and backed away from Harry. This was not the form or voice Harry had used with him. This one spoke of raw power, of war, and of battle. The centaur paled, dropped his bow and knelt at the Regal Vampire's feet.

"I am sorry, my Lord," he began. "When I saw you standing there as Harry Potter, I thought I had been deceived."

"I do not deceive," began Harry, "and I do not lie. I have asked you here to witness the release of this werewolf from his bonds of servitude. After this, you are free to go back about your life. Do not question me again, Bane!"

The centaur bowed again and remained silent. Remus watched as the two began to look skyward. The sun had finally set and the stars were beginning their heavenly voyage. The lady moon had not made her appearance yet, but he could feel her creeping beneath the horizon, taunting and teasing the wolf within him. Soon, she would show her harsh beauty and bring the monthly torture with her. It was quite the paradox, Remus mused. He really did think that the moon was one of the most beautiful of all the night sky's inhabitants. Unfortunately, the Gods of Fate had made his time with her unbearable. The wolf in him always struggled to run free, but his humanity did its best not to let that happen. The wolf was that beast with him he only _dreamt_ of controlling. He knew that should the twain ever meet, they would complement each other, the human striving for order, and the wolf reveling in chaos. Both were strong, smart, and beautiful in their own way, he supposed, but it was their deadly struggle that made them ugly.

Remus felt his muscles twitch and strain before he saw her. He had glanced to Harry before he saw the Lady of the night sky behind him. He fell to the grown screaming, the pain of his transformation worse than any he'd felt before, including his first. It felt as if he were being split in two. He lost his mind to the wolf inside as the bones in his body started breaking to accommodate the change.

The moment Harry felt the transformation start in Remus, he shifted into his first natural form, the one the wolf was enthralled to. He moved to stand between the werewolf and the moon. He knew that what he was about to do would cause Remus more pain than he had ever felt from this curse, but it was the only way to release him. It would leave the two of them completely drained, but the end result would be worth it.

When he heard the bones start to break and re-form, Harry reached out with his mind. He called out to the wolf and forcefully pushed the human back. As the transformation progressed, the human retained his form and the wolf seemed to sprout from within, not unlike a cub bursting forth from the womb. For a few moments, it was difficult to tell where the human ended and the wolf began. The screams were joined by an agonized howl as the heads separated.

As quickly as it all started, it was finished.

On the ground in the middle of the clearing lay a large majestic black wolf, patches of white fur sprinkled across its muzzle, head, and tail, showing its age. Not far from it was the human body of Remus Lupin, curled up into a fetal ball. Both looked thoroughly exhausted, panting in their states of unconsciousness. Separately, both were beautiful - a stark contrast from the twisted figure that emerged once a month.

Harry walked forward and knelt in front of the pair. He fed his own energy into them, the change immediately apparent. Slowly, the accelerated age dissolved from the both of them, Remus' hair darkening to the golden-brown it once was, the wolf's fur turning back to the pitch black of a healthy adolescent pup. He stopped as the last strands of age disappeared from each and sagged as the loss of energy threatened to overtake him.

"Wake up," he called.

Slowly, two pair of eyes opened - one yellow and one light brown. They shook their heads in the same manner as they both tried to shake the fog of sleep from their minds. Harry chuckled softly, it only made sense that after so many years together, both man and wolf had adopted many of the same mannerisms. Both beings in front of him yelped in surprised as they saw each other separately for the first time.

Harry's breath hitched. This was the most important part of the release. If there was _any_ hatred between the two, it would result in a battle to the death. Almost as bad would be animosity; for they would each turn separate ways, each losing a huge part of themselves in the process, and neither obtaining happiness ever again. He smiled as they both seemed to be assessing each other. This was a good sign because almost all negative endings happened within moments of the first sighting. The best solution, of course, was a friendship between the two. From this they could accept the other's existence and live in harmony together.

Both looked to him as if asking his permission for what they so obviously wanted to do next. Harry nodded and felt a tear roll down his face as Remus and the wolf went to each other, the prior enveloping the latter in a big hug. Remus was laughing while tears streaked down his face and the dogs tail wagged madly while trying to lick his face. It was almost as if two long-lost brothers were meeting for again for the very first time.

As the love between the two grew stronger, the air around them became more and more magically changed, its tendrils touching everything nearby, feeling out the surroundings. The light grew brighter, filling the space around the meadow until it was too bright to stare into. Harry had to divert his eyes as the light pulsed, flashed, and died. When he opened them again, he saw the lone body of his father's friend kneeling in the clearing, crying tears of joy.

~~~~

Remus wiped his face with his hands to clear his eyes. It was the most _intense_ feeling of joy he could remember. He couldn't help himself as his smile stretched from ear to ear. He let out a savage but joyous yell, holding it until his lungs ran out of air. His cry seemed to go on forever. He opened his eyes and looked to the Lady Moon, her beauty shining down on him, caressing his face. He could _feel_ her smiling at him, happy to finally not cause him pain anymore. She truly _was_ the most beautiful object in the heavens. He knew that from this night forward he would treasure the sight of her.

He looked to the boy -- no, _man_ who had made this all possible for him. Harry looked rather exhausted, but happily so. Remus walked over to the kneeling Regal and extended his hand to help him up.

"Thank you, Harry," he said, drawing the younger wizard into a firm embrace.

"You're welcome, Remus," Harry responded. "It was the least I could do for you. Of course, freeing you from the bonds of servitude seems to have had a bit of a positive side effect, too!" he had a knowing grin and his eyes were glowing with warmth.

Remus was astounded. "You knee this would happen all along!" He accused.

"It was the only way I could release the reins of slavery," he replied, squeezing tighter before releasing.

"Can you do this to others, Harry?" the werewolf asked.

Harry's smile faded a bit as he answered, "Unfortunately, no. A Regal may only take one servant. Most do not give up their true servants. They can still control werewolves in their natural form, but only their servant will remain obedient and loyal when they are in their human form."

Remus was a bit puzzled with some of this information. Did this mean that the first werewolf they reveal themselves to became their servant?

"No," Harry said, answering Remus' unspoken question. "It is very much a conscious decision to take a servant, thus the reason why most regals do not willingly release them."

"How did you-" Remus began.

Harry blushed. "Normally, I can't read your mind or hear your thoughts, but it seems we now share a bond thanks to your merging with the wolf.

Remus thought for a moment. He _could_ feel the wolf within. It was now truly a part of him, not fighting for control of his body. He no longer needed to hold it back because we was both the wolf _and_ the man, chaos and order; strength, power and mind. For the first time he realized that he had all the strengths of both. his vision, smell, and hearing were sharper than before. He was more aware of his surroundings and his magic! It was unbelievable how powerful his magic had become. He could actively feel the connections his magic had with the earth, grass, trees, and the forest as a whole. He followed one of the stronger threads and found it leading to Harry. He could tell what the other was feeling and thinking, but had no idea what brought it about.

"When the two of you accepted each other, the love you had started a magical chain-reaction. At first it was just centered on each other, but as it grew, it started feeling out the environment you were in. Things you had a stronger connection to before now have a bond of some sort. You're more aware of your surroundings now due to your bond with the forest. That one formed because of all the time you've spent in here. The bond between us happened because of our strong trust and friendship. I do find it somewhat amusing that you unconsciously refused to form a bond of any sort with Bane." Harry said.

Remus was surprised that he'd forgotten about the centaur. Bane was standing in the same place he'd first arrived, his features impassive and unreadable.

"Thank you, Bane," came Harry's voice. "Your witness to this event has been noted and appreciated. I release you from your duty."

With a slight nod and bow, the centaur turned around and trotted back into the dark depths of the forest.

"What was his part in this, Harry?" Remus asked.

"He was needed as an impartial third party witness, Remus," the boy replied.

"Do you really trust him to keep this secret?" Remus wondered aloud.

"The centaurs may not like the humans after what they've been through, but they hold honor above all else. Hes is a wise being and knows the privilege he has been afforded. As he is bound by honor, he will not share this with anyone. Do I trust him to keep our secrets? Yes, I do," Harry replied.

"Why do you think it was that I did not form a bond with him?"

Harry answered, "It its his deep rooted belief that Centaurs and Werewolves, if not all races, should not mix. Your magic detected that and stayed away."

Remus frowned, puzzled. He looked up at the setting moon before asking, "You mean... I'm not cured?"

The young Regal smiled sadly at him. "I wish I could tell you such, Remus, but the truth is that yes, you are still a werewolf-"

"Oh," Remus interrupted. This was not the answer he wanted to hear. His head sagged as he felt his happiness drain and his tears return. "I'm still a monster then."

Harry drew his friend into a tight embrace. He passed feelings of love and hope to his friend before speaking.

"You didn't let me finish," he said as he pulled back slowly, putting his hands on Remus' shoulders.

"Yes, you are still a werewolf, Remus. Your struggle with the beast inside for control is over now. Having become one with the wolf has freed you from the pain of the curse, so to speak. Your bite in wolf form will still pass on the curse to others, so you'll need to be careful with that, but your transformations after tonight will be much less painful and you'll keep your mind in wolf form. However, I'm sure you've realized by now that you still have the wolf's strengths in human form. I think that's a fair trade-off, don't you?"

The sudden hug took harry by surprise. If it weren't for his strength as a vampire, he certainly would have collapsed under the weight of his friend, who'd lost control of himself, sobbing. He slowly lowered the two of them to the ground making himself comfortable has he held his friend. He felt the barrage of emotions pouring from the older wizard. It was not a cure by any means, but it was more than Remus had had to be happy about for a long time.

~~~~

Eventually Remus realized that they were on the g9round, and while not letting go, laid out and put his head in the Regal's lap, looking out to the horizon. The colors were starting to change, getting brighter as the sun awoke from its slumber. As the suns first rays warmed his face, the hope of a better life warmed his heart.

He heard harry speak again when the nus had finally cleared the trees. "We must be getting back, Remus," he said. "We have been gone about ten hours now."

Remus smiled as he got to his feet. It was _very_ nice to be able to get up after lying down for so long and not have every muscle in his body screaming at him in pain. He was amazed that the night had passed so fast. withoutwolfsbane , the nights usually seemed to take forever to pass when the wolf was constantly on the hunt. With the potion he could curl up and go to sleep, but either way the outcome the next day was the same - pain.

"Come on," the boy said to him as he took his hand. "Let's get you back to Mrs. Figg's place."


	7. Chapter 7

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, that's JK Rowling's creation.

**Re-Awakening - Chapter 7**

----

Albus Dumbledore was upset. No, strike that. He wasn't upset, he was _furious_. He sent his werewolf to watch his vampire and lost them both. The auror he'd sent to keep watch fell asleep shortly after said werewolf went to check up on the vampire. When the auror noticed Remus missing, he'd gone to check up on the boy and found no traces of either of them. The house was locked up tight but nobody was home. Checking for magical transport residue revealed nothing. It appeared as if they'd just vanished into thin air.

The venerable old Headmaster knew better. The little monster by the name of Harry Potter could _fade_ in and out of Hogwards right under his nose, and he made it look _easy_! NOBODY should be able to get into and out of the school by magical means except by the use of the portkeys HE ALONE created. Yes, granted, they _were_ unauthorized as far as the ministry was concerned, but Albus paid little attention to them. They were all a bunch of weak-minded fools. they could never see the big picture. He had naught but contempt for their bureacracy, they went about everything the wrong way as far as he was concerned. Sure, he'd considered having a more active role there, but he knew that it was more important to inspire loyalty in the children who would be moving into positions of control over the next few years. The minister - that incompitent fool Cornelius Fudge - was only a figurehead. It was the workers who got things done. Slowly but surely he was putting some of his most loyal people in positions of greater authority. The way he saw it, for every known spy that Voldemort planted, he had placed TWO. Double that amount and you had a network of spies that even the Order of the Phoenix didn't know about. With the next year's graduating class, he should have enough workers in the ministry to start pushing Voldemort's puppets out. One more year after that, and it should be easy enough to install a minister of his own choice.

However, all the planting, posturing, and placing he could do would be no good if he didn't have The Boy Who Lived on his side at the very least. In his pocket would be better, strictly under his control would be best, but it would take a while to get that. At the moment, said "Boy" was nowhere to be found.

Dammnit! He had _trusted_ that werewolf. It was foolish to think the man could be anything remotely loya0l to the cause. He should have known better. He knew that Remus was _extremely_ loyal to James Potter for some reason - a reason he had yet to ascertain. He thought that with James and Lilly out of the way, some pity - err, _sympathy_ - every so often, that HE would inherit that loyalty. If this was not the case, he may just have to find a way to eliminate the security risk the werewolf posed to the Order. He wondered if he still hat that disguised silver mug...

A sound form upstairs roused him from his thoughts. It seemed he would finally get some answeres to his questions. Having spent the last three hours in this entirely _too_ muggle house was beginning to get on his nerves. Not that he disliked muggles, mind you, but this house was just magically dead. If it weren't for the wards he'd place around the house, he would have been irritable on top of furious. The muffled sounds of voices were getting closer now. Albus stood and faced the stairs, putting his wand away. If he'd had it in his hand, he surely would have cused the wolf to Voldemort and back for disobeying him and eluding his awtcher. He left a slight pressure against his mental shields before the voices drifted down the stairs.

"Ah, I see that the headmaster has come to wish us a good morning, Remus!" Harry's voice drifted down the stairs moments before he appeared with the werewolf in tow.

Albus' anger momentarily dissipated as he noted the changed in Remus. He looked to have lost twenty years! No longer did he look haggard and beated, and he appeared healther than he should have been this soon after the full moon. The headmaster snarled silently to himself. It seemed that his new source of Wolfsbane was out of his control. He would have to find this source and make sure they added the ... _subduing _ingredients. Remus was generally too poor to buy Wolfsbane, and severas was more than happy to add the silver extract to the potion he was "forced" to brew. No... a happy and _healthy_ werewolf just wouldn't do. They were just to dangerous and unpredictable.

"Would you care to explain yourself, Mister Lupin?" The old man asked harshly. He enjoyed the reaction his tone produced. For a moment the werewolf looked embmarrased, but the look was quickly replaced by a blank expression.

It wasn't Remus who answered him though.

"Professor, even you know that wolfsbane allows the werewoldf to just barely keep his mind. Any excitement and the potion would have been overridden by the wolf, putting me in extreme danger," Harry stated, smiling pleasantly.

Albus wanted to slap that smile off the boy's face. He was just a tool as far as he was concerned, and had no business being happy.

Harry continued, "And wasn't the reason you had Remus looking after me to keep me out of trouble? We were in a safe and calm location with no distractions. It was a quiet night."

Albus wanted to believe the boy was lying, but he couldn't tell. The little monster was blocking his legilimancy. He allowed himself to smile a little bit though. As far as he could tell, the boy was telling the truth.

"And the wolfsbane, Harry? Who brewed it?" he asked.

The boy answered again, "I'll leave you to your secrets Professor, and I'll ask you to do the same for me."

More secrets? No this just wouldn't do. Albus gathered his magical energy around him, darkening teh room and making the air crackle around him forebodingly. Most men would have found this intimidating, but the little monster in front of him only _smirked_.

"Nice try, Albus," said Harry, who stepped closer. With a poking motion, Albus' energy bubble quite literally _popped_ sending sparks flying harmlessly in all directions.

"Your magic is indeed powerful and impressive, but you no longer indimidate me," he said. "Please refrain from doing so in thee future."

The boy smiled and turned to the werewolf. "Thank you for staying with me last night Professor Lupin. I'm sorry my potion didn't mask the pain of transformation for you."

As the two of them walked to the door, Lupin replied, "I'm not your professor anymore Harry. Please call me Remus. As for the Wolfbane, there's no need to worry. I haven't felt this good after the full moon in a LONG time. If your provider can do that again, I will be a _very_ happy man next month." With a bow to Harry and Albus, remus bid his goodbyes and left the house.

Albus was speechless. The boy _had_ indeed found a new supplier for the potion. He would definitely need to look into that. He made a mental note to have one of his more ... impressionable young resources take the task on.

"I know what you're thinking, Albus," the sound of the vampire's voice brought him out of his reverie. "Remus has suffered long enough. It's not very nice of you to order all of Magical Brittian's potions masters to add Silver Nitrate to their wolfsbane potions. A healthy and happy werewolf is a _productive_ and _very loyal_ werewolf. I'm willing to bet that if you lifted your orders and fabricated a discovery of an improved formula, you'd have the world's werewolves on your side within a few months.

The old wizard only glared at the boy before activating the portkey in his pocket. When he landed back in his office, he threw the trinket as hard as he could against the stone wall opposite his desk.

'How _dare_ he!?' he ranted. 'How _dare_ he try to manipulate **me** of all people!"

He sat roughly in his chair and pulled out a box of Lemon Drops. These weren't the ones he offered to his students, but the _special_ ones he had laced with his favorite potion. He stared into the fireplace as the potion took affect and his troubles faded away.

--------

**NOTE: **Folks, it's been over FOUR YEARS since I wrote this. This chapter represents the end of what I had written back in 2004. I have nothing else left to write up, and I'm currently facing a writer's block the size of San Jose when I look at my notebooks. I don't plan on abandoning this story or As I See It, but I have nothing left to do at this time. Thank you for reading this far. I appreciate being able to keep you entertained.

Until next time...


End file.
